Noro House
by grimdreamer
Summary: Kaoru decides to go into publishing.  He meets new people who turn his life upside-down, like his eccentric boss Yasushi, the jealous Kihara, and neurotic Hirota.  But what about being rich?  And what about Hikaru?  Like Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi.
1. Chapter 1: A Very Pale Blue

**Author's Note:** Forgive me, I've been watching too much _Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi_ and just felt the publishing industry would be the best place for Kaoru. This was written off the top of my head, so it hasn't got a clear direction yet.

As always, thank you for any constructive feedback and/or support. I'm not really confident about the beginning, but maybe the rest works out. The characters are meant to be older and there are some nice OCs.

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><p>"<strong>NORO HOUSE<strong>**"**

**Chapter 1: A Very Pale Blue**

'You're going into publishing?' cried Hikaru, throwing off his shades at Kaoru's sudden announcement.

On the sun-lounger next to him, the younger twin flicked a page as he read a novel in English, answering just as Hikaru was on the verge of repeating himself. 'It's true. It's what I've decided,' he said.

They were resting by an open-air pool near the mansion, sipping a mixture of cocktails on a hot, cloudless day.

'So you're not taking fashion?'

'I studied Modern Literature. It's a little late for that.'

'Not really. You could be a journalist on the fashion scene. There's plenty of time…'

'No, thanks.'

'But you'd be good at it.'

'No, thanks.'

'But–'

Kaoru slammed his book shut. 'Why do you want me to go into fashion?'

'Because you're talented, aren't you? And you have some great ideas. We could work together and everything!'

'Well I don't want to go into fashion. I want to do something else.'

'Have you talked with Mum and Dad about this?'

'Of course I have. You were there.' Kaoru flinched as hands pinned his wrists, blocking his view of the sky. He could feel his brother trembling and sense the number of thoughts racing through the other twin's mind. 'Just because you've spent a few months travelling around Europe, doesn't mean that I have to stay still in one place,' Kaoru said, calmly. 'I've made up my mind. This is what I want to do. Will you try to support me?'

Hikaru softened his grip and placed a tender kiss on Kaoru's face. 'I'll support you,' Hikaru murmured, 'and I'll miss you a lot.'

'Thank you, Hika,' smiled Kaoru, and gave his twin a hug.

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><p>Everyone thought he was going to be in fashion, that he would inherit the Hitachiin portfolio and continue the work of his mother, expanding on her concepts and creating his own, but for the youngest Hitachiin, this was simply not the case. He wanted to do something different and his choice was to go into publishing.<p>

While his family had contacts in the industry, they were not contacts he could have easily appealed to. Their specialities lay in areas such as telecommunication and marketing; they knew no one who could provide a proper introduction into publishing. So Kaoru tried his friends, casually enquiring if they knew any printers, editors, salespeople, _anyone,_ only to learn that the traditional contacts of any business erred towards the boring side. For instance, they published medical journals for the Ootoris, and wrote business columns for the Suous – areas in publishing which failed to interest him.

But just as he was about to give up, one of his mother's friends recalled an editor they met at a function and presented the original business card for Kaoru's reference.

**Yasushi****  
>Noro Publishing<strong>

**Editor-in-chief**

_What__ is he, arrogant?_ Kaoru thought when he first saw the name. It was etched in katakana like a foreigner's and the family name was missing.

'Will you be giving him a call?' asked Hikaru, peering over Kaoru's shoulder. They were about to part for the third time in a month, now that Hikaru was a businessman. The older twin had no taste for books, preferring the pursuit of graphic design and how to promote the Hitachiin label through the online medium. Rather than art (or even science, his other forte), Hikaru had studied international business and marketing, and spent some months in London, Paris, and Milan on various programmes intended to teach him the tricks of the trade. He was fluent in three languages – Japanese, French, and English – and though he often joked that Italian was too hard and would never become his fourth, he was more or less fluent.

Sighing, Kaoru called the number, and walked to the foyer to see his brother off. _What do I have to lose?_ His major had been modern literature with English, and the extent of his travels had been to the States on an Ivy League language exchange. Compared to Hikaru, this was hardly something to brag and there were many times when Kaoru had considered altering his course. Should he have gone into business and become fluent in several languages? Maybe his parents would have liked him to choose a major in tune with the family business? No, the point of all this was to create a brand new Kaoru, the younger twin reminded himself, so copying his brother would never have worked.

'There,' said Kaoru, after speaking with Noro Publishing, 'it's done.'

And a few weeks later, he was able to finally meet Yasushi in person and brought with him a cover note, curriculum vitae, and references, just in case this was really an interview. So much time had passed since Kaoru made the call that he might as well have forgotten all about it, disguising his initial disappointment at hearing nothing back with frenetic attempts for a doctorate in both the States and Japan. In fact, he was about to complete an acceptance letter for Tokyo University when the Editor-in-chief deigned to respond and he dropped everything straight away to chase this one opportunity…

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><p>'Good morning, sir,' the receptionist greeted him, when he eventually arrived in the foyer of Noro Publishing. She was older than Kaoru imagined over the telephone, speaking with a youthful voice, despite her forty years. 'Do you have an appointment today?'<p>

'Yes,' Kaoru told her. 'I'm here to meet the Editor-in-chief.'

Her eyes crinkled above the line of her desk, and swiftly, she issued a visitor's card, which Kaoru accepted with a charming grin. Unaffected, she nodded politely towards the waiting area, where comfortable seats and coffee tables were lined on the polished floor. Inclining his chin, Kaoru strolled over to the nearest table and idly browsed through a company magazine published by Noro itself, as well as a number of journals related to the publishing industry. As far as Kaoru could tell, Noro was the kind of publisher who liked to have fun and this was evident from the latest edition of _Manga-me_, a mini brochure of what the company had to offer.

Momentarily, he glanced up at the sound of sliding doors and the brisk steps of a dark-eyed man striding silently through the foyer. The receptionist smiled warmly in the man's direction, only to receive the briefest of nods as he passed the high counter of her desk and headed for the stairs.

_Who was that__?_ Kaoru wondered, watching the man disappear. _Don't tell me everyone who works here is actually serious?_ He finished reading _Manga-me_ and was about to reach for another magazine just as one of the elevators opened and revealed a yawning male.

Instinctively, Kaoru sensed that this person was important.

'Sir, you have Hitachiin-san to see you,' said the receptionist, her smile very different to the one from earlier.

'Thanks,' replied the newcomer, as he approached the waiting area. He removed the slim shades resting on his nose and rubbed vigorously at his face, then slipped them into the pocket of his wrinkled shirt. 'I'm the Editor-in-chief, Yasushi. Sorry we couldn't meet earlier.'

'Hitachiin,' said Kaoru, bowing as Yasushi bowed. 'Pleased to make your acquaintance.'

'Honestly, we had these deadlines and we nearly missed two of them. In fact, it's lucky that we're still in business. We nearly lost a big contract, hahaha!'

Cautiously, Kaoru smiled, uncertain what to make of this casual admission. He was baffled as to why the Editor-in-chief would disclose such an issue so frankly. Had his mother or father done something like that, their business ties would never be the same and they would instantly lose face across more than one industry.

_Who i__s this Yasushi guy…?_

They moved from the reception hall of Noro Publishing into one of the private conference rooms, taking the first available elevator, regardless of the people already crammed within.

'Good morning,' Yasushi said to them. 'Traffic really bad?'

Nodding, everyone clutched their bags (almost in a frightened way, Kaoru noticed) and hurriedly escaped once the elevator stopped on the third floor. Slowly, he gazed from the shiny plaque announcing the sales department to the amusement still lingering on Yasushi's lips. If Kaoru was not mistaken, those were ID cards he saw for the editing team, so why was everyone getting off at the sales department? Kaoru swallowed and kept his eyes ahead. He tried not to think too deeply into this.

On the fifth floor, the elevator opened and he followed Yasushi in silence, side-stepping random bits of manuscript littering the corridor. Before he could ask if this kind of thing was normal, Yasushi paused and picked up a sheet of paper, turning it this way and that, as if he had never seen one. 'Hmm,' he remarked, 'good job that's an oldie,' and let the paper slip from his hand, much to Kaoru's consternation.

'Isn't this a manuscript? Shouldn't we be picking all of this up?'

'If you're here to be the cleaner, then be my guest, but you came here to be in publishing, am I right?' Yasushi said, coolly.

Kaoru pursed his lips. 'Of course,' he said, in a neutral tone, and walked through the door that Yasushi held ajar. The conference room was simple, designed for in-house meetings rather than impressing clientele. Tables were arranged with almost classroom precision, forming an arc in front of a whiteboard declaring the word "Fighto!"

For some reason, Kaoru knew that Yasushi had written it.

'Sit,' Yasushi commanded, panning a casual palm across the arc of tables and chairs as he yanked at the cheap plastic blinds shading the windows. There were two on either side of the whiteboard, and while Kaoru would have liked to keep them both shut for the sake of his eyes, he voiced no protests, carefully selecting a chair as distant from the windows as possible. 'Well,' said Yasushi, and took his own seat near the left end of the arc, so that his face was deliberately in shadow.

He seemed to be smiling.

'I appreciate you seeing me today,' began Kaoru. 'I know you've been busy.'

Yasushi nodded. 'I like your hair.'

Kaoru stared, not knowing what to say to that. From his leather-bound folder, he produced a brown A4 envelope and stood so he could bow to the Editor, envelope held out, but instead the man grabbed his wrist and brought him suddenly close.

'Don't you want to talk first, before we start business?'

'Is – is this some kind of test?'

For a moment, Yasushi leaned back, allowing the light to pour onto his skin. He had an intelligent face, quite like Kyouya's, except his was rugged from lack of sleep and a two-day beard. But it was not Yasushi's face which had struck Kaoru the most: it was the eyes and the fact that they were a very pale blue.

'Contact lens!' winked Yasushi, and let Kaoru go. As the younger man recovered, the cover note and curriculum vitae were quietly read, with the occasional "hmm" marking every page. 'So you don't know what to do with your life?'

Kaoru winced. Was it actually that obvious? 'I want to work in publishing and you came highly recommended.'

Yasushi raised a cynical brow. 'Who said?'

'Now that would be telling,' answered Kaoru, unable to remember.

'Hmm,' mused the Editor. 'You must be really desperate, wanting to work with me… As you've never worked in the publishing industry before, you'll have to learn everything from scratch. For the most part, you'll be shadowing my assistants, and sometimes, even myself. Six months probation, free parking, company pension – should you live that long. And I should probably call your referees to make sure you check out, but you don't look like a con or a psycho to me, so maybe I won't have to bother with that. Anyway, welcome on board. Let's go meet the team!'

Kaoru blinked, a little stunned. _Did I just hear him right? Have I really got a job?_ He followed Yasushi from the conference room and into the elevator, dumbstruck.

_I'm in publishing!_

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><p><strong>Afterword:<strong> It would be nice to hear what you thought, but if you're more into reading and marking me as a favourite, then that's okay ;)


	2. Chapter 2: Five Printers Printing

**Author's Note:** No, my self-discipline hasn't improved in any way; I just wrote this chapter ahead of time and tidied up the ending. Also, did I mention that this story is a yaoi story and that some language is a little bad?

My thanks to **Enigmaticrose4**and **FearIsButFearItself** for their reviews – much love! May you continue to read future chapters, as and when they are written!

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><p>"<strong>NORO HOUSE"<strong>

**Chapter 2: Five Printers Printing**

'You aren't going to change your mind now, are you? We aren't going back down,' said Yasushi, eyeing Kaoru's reflection in the elevator mirror.

'No! Of course not,' said Kaoru, hastily. 'Thank you for the opportunity.'

Yasushi beamed. 'Good, good.' Then he pressed the button for the seventh floor and hummed to himself, glancing occasionally at his watch, oblivious to the nerves afflicting Kaoru beside him. 'Oh hi, Jun,' Yasushi said, once the elevator slid open.

A short-haired youth turned creakily in Yasushi's direction, revealing a glare so dark that it reminded Kaoru of a panda. A dangerous panda. And this panda was trying, without success, to order a chilled can of coffee from the nearby vending machine. 'Hi, Yasushi. How goes it?'

Yasushi peered over the sleepy youth's shoulder with fatherly concern. 'Eighty-nine, Jun,' he replied, indicating the right number for coffee.

'Cool, eighty-nine. I totally knew that…'

'And this is our newest friend, Hita-kun–'

'"Hitachiin",' corrected Kaoru.

'–and he'll be our new Editorial Assistant, starting from today. Hita-kun, this is Akiyama.'

'Pleasure to meet you, Hita-kun.' Kneeling, Jun retrieved a can from the vending machine and studied Kaoru on the way up. 'Man, he's pretty,' the panda remarked, referring to more than just the crisp grey suit, polished shoes, and silk tie which Kaoru had donned so precisely.

'Only the prettiest men will do, you know,' Yasushi sighed, and continued along the aisle, saying "good morning" to other colleagues in the cubicles he passed.

'You'll be fine,' Jun whispered to Kaoru, immune to the twin's embarrassment. 'Manga is fun. You'll have loads of fun with manga.'

'And what does Jun do?' asked Kaoru, eventually catching up with the Editor-in-chief before the man could stroll out of sight.

Yasushi smiled mysteriously. 'Oh, you'll see.'

They stopped towards the end of the aisle. What shocked Kaoru was not the size of the office but how an impossible amount of paper had been stuffed into one place. There were stacks of marked and unmarked manuscripts piled chaotically on every surface, as well as unopened boxes of manga acting as replacement furniture. A smell of ink and the musty odours of too many people lingered in the air, swirling around the diminutive space with the aid of a lonely electric fan perched on top of a printer. As the fan rotated, manuscripts rippled and threatened to flee through the unlocked windows, where the stink of petrol fumes from the crowded streets below seeped up into the office.

'Your new home,' said Yasushi, patting a block of manga still in its cellophane wrapping on a desk intended for Kaoru. 'It's a shame that no one's here yet. Kihara went out and Hirota should be somewhere around here… just like my desk, which seems to be under all this–' Yasushi heaved a heap of paperwork and dumped it on the desk to his left. 'Kihara won't mind,' he muttered to himself, not quite convinced.

'Who's Kihara?' asked Kaoru.

'He's our in-house proofreader. His job is to check the final copy against the manuscript, which basically saves me and the publisher from looking like complete fools. Hirota, on the other hand, he's our copy-editor. Initially, he was freelance until the business got underway and we decided to keep him. As for me,' Yasushi continued, dropping into a swivel chair behind his desk and basking in the breeze coming from the electric fan, 'I fight the author's corner, oversee the manuscripts, and attend all the meetings. Also, I boss you about.'

'Oh,' said Kaoru.

'So what I want you to do now, since nobody's here, is photocopy these manuscripts and have them bound before lunch-time.' Three manuscripts thumped loudly on Kaoru's new desk and Yasushi pointed to each with a plastic ruler as he spoke. 'This one's for Kihara. He's working on the final copy of _His Lover's Make-up_, a bi-weekly series with a deadline tomorrow. If he can finish this off by 3pm today, it goes to the printers, along with two others we've had to push back. Get this to him late and he'll eat you alive, never mind me, so make sure that you get this done first.'

'Sure,' Kaoru nodded. He was writing on a sticky note and labelling the manuscript.

Yasushi resumed once Kaoru was finished. 'Now this one's for Hirota. It's his first time juggling three different series; therefore, he's pretty stressed out. What I want you to do is make two copies: one for me and one for you. As he doesn't know this series is coming yet – _please don't tell him_ – I'll be teaching you our editing style prior to requesting your help. But don't worry,' said Yasushi, at Kaoru's expression, 'Hirota's really good. He'll show you the ropes; you'll be an expert in no time.'

'And this one?' said Kaoru, raising the last manuscript, which seemed to be thicker and neater than the rest.

'Just something I want you to read overnight. Please let me know what you think.'

'I will.'

'Though, before you start…'

'Yes, sir?'

'Could you find out where Hirota is?'

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><p>Kaoru moved warily through the office, conscious of the many stares that were tracking his progress. It was no secret that the whole floor had seen him enter with their Editor-in-chief, and they were curious to know who he was and what he was doing here.<p>

_Not even I know the answer to that,_ thought Kaoru, flashing a guarded smile at a group of women gazing openly in his direction. They were members of the marketing team and their feminine giggles had been audible, even behind the most solid partitions.

'Hi!' they waved in unison, and to Kaoru's relief, the cell-phone in his jacket buzzed, saving him from having to talk to them. He waved "goodbye" and paused by the same vending machine where he was first introduced to Akiyama. Here, nobody could see him trying to relax and get his act together. He was still struggling to believe that all of this was real.

_Do I seriously have a job in publishing? Have I really done what I set out to do?_

While Yasushi had not discussed the details of a contract or gone about the matter in any conventional way, he had assigned some important errands to Kaoru – projects a new starter would never receive had he not been up to the task. Nevertheless, was it right to accept such a job on these terms? He had attended quite a few interviews and none of them had been remotely like this. Then again, those interviews were not for proper jobs; they were mainly for doctorate positions, extra years of study. So was it really okay for him to be doing all of this… just like that?

He entered the code for mineral water and worriedly checked his cell-phone. There were a number of missed calls from Hikaru and Tamaki, no doubt wondering if he had landed the job. Quickly, he sent a message to both, saying he would call them back later. Not the most reassuring thing to do, since it implied that he might have failed, but it was too premature to tell them much else.

'Hey, you lost?'

Kaoru almost spilled his cup of water. 'Akiyama-san,' he said.

'That's me. Nice you remembered.' Kaoru stepped aside so that Jun could use the vending machine. 'Do you need some help?' asked Jun, musing over the keypad.

'Yes, do you know where Hirota-san is?'

'Hirota? Yeah, he's copying manuscripts. Door on the right.'

'Thanks.'

'No problem.'

_I wonder what Akiyama-san does,_ Kaoru pondered as he went down the corridor to where Jun had pointed. Apart from the roles of Yasushi, Kihara, and Hirota, he knew little about the other departments and how he was meant to be interacting with them. _What politics do they have? They can't be worse than Ouran Academy's, surely? _

On his right was the door in question and he quietly smirked at the sign stating "Printing Doom". _This place has an awesome sense of humour. I'll definitely enjoy working here!_ He opened the door and was immediately struck by the constant noise: there were five machines photocopying at once, churning out masses of freshly inked paper and clacking as they stapled and sorted the hoards. Shielding his ears, Kaoru approached someone leaning against the furthest machine, a man of slight build who was mulling over a manuscript and striking the pages with circles and lines. He seemed to be editing the text and rearranging scenes drawn hurriedly in pencil, and the look on his face was one of tense anguish.

'I'll never get this done,' the man was whispering, deaf to Kaoru's entrance and comprehensible only through the twin's ability to lip-read.

'Um, hello?' said Kaoru, a little embarrassed. He could tell the man had been crying and appeared on the verge of tears, even now. _Is he really the copy-editor? And what on earth happened? _ As advised by Yasushi, he checked what the man was wearing and found himself ineffably struck by the quality of the outfit. Hirota was indeed an exceptional dresser, somehow managing to combine pastel shades of lavender and olive-green (which, to Kaoru's expert eye, should not have been possible). And though the suit he wore looked as perfect as Kaoru's, Hirota had clearly ensured this perfection himself, starching his shirt and pressing a faultless crease down the length of his trousers – something which made the twin feel strangely jealous.

'Sorry,' said the copy-editor, noticing his visitor. 'I'm nearly done.'

'You're Hirota-san, right?'

'Yes, I am,' he replied. 'And you are?'

'Hitachiin Kaoru. I just started today.'

'Really?' said Hirota, and studied Kaoru's clothes. 'Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm sure you'll fit in here.' Using his felt pen as a bookmark, he placed the manuscript on the photocopier behind him and slowly pressed his temples. 'I suppose Yasushi's been looking for me…'

'He has,' said Kaoru. 'By the way, I'm meant to be copying these manuscripts, but I'm not exactly sure how. Do you mind showing me how to, um… Hey, are you feeling okay?'

Hirota was staring at the manuscripts. 'No,' he answered hoarsely, and before he could elaborate further, pitched forward into Kaoru's arms, forcing the twin to drop what he was holding.

Before Kaoru could so much as speak, the door to the printing room opened and someone strode in, halting abruptly. It was the humourless man he had seen earlier in reception, the one with the dark eyes and serious face. Relieved, Kaoru started to speak, wanting this person to help him, since he had no idea what was wrong with Hirota, but his request for assistance was swiftly brushed aside by a baffling question.

Kaoru blinked. 'What?'

'I said,' the man repeated, 'what the _fuck_ are you doing?'

For the rarest moment, Kaoru was speechless; he could not comprehend the newcomer's anger. _What have I done to deserve that? Does this guy already hate me or something?_ Kaoru glanced at Hirota sprawled in his lap, and then at his fingers grasping the flawlessly ironed shirt. _Shit,_ he thought, conscious of the nails which had crept past the unbuttoned fabric, digging a handful of pale crescent moons into Hirota's skin. Kaoru knew now what the other person was witnessing and he had to explain – except his explanations were promptly ignored as the newcomer knelt to touch Hirota's forehead.

'Eiji, can you hear me? I told you not to come in today. Why don't you ever listen? You,' he snapped at Kaoru, who had since removed his hand from Hirota's shirt, 'explain yourself! Who the hell are you? And what the hell are you doing here?'

Kaoru bristled; he did not approve of being yelled at. 'Watch your mouth,' he warned, 'and I might have an answer.'

'Are you actually _threatening_ me?'

'No,' said Kaoru, and calmly – for reasons he would make up later, when he really had the time to think about it – kissed Hirota directly on the lips, lingering a second longer than friendship.

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><p><strong>Afterword:<strong> As always, hope you have some thoughts about this chapter. First time I've introduced this many OCs. Thanks for any feedback!


	3. Chapter 3: Paper Cuts

**Author's Note:** Third chapter done at last! (Is there anyone still reading?) I know the ending of the previous chapter was a little abrupt, so perhaps the ending for this one will be slightly better.

Belated thanks for your reviews, **nicluvly**!

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><p>"<strong>NORO HOUSE"<strong>

**Chapter 3: Paper Cuts**

After what happened, Kihara had barely spoken a word; he merely raised Hirota as gently as he could and asked in a tight, controlled voice for Kaoru to open the door. In silence, they escorted him from the printing room to the toilets, supporting the copy-editor on either side, and were dutifully ignored by the office as they passed. Apparently, Hirota's "episodes" were common in the publishing calendar – nothing really strange to witness in the office. All the same, to see someone faint like that was alarming to Kaoru and he had stayed in the toilets with Hirota until Kihara beckoned him outside. In that time, Kihara made Kaoru's position very clear, emphasising the fact by gripping a tie until the moment someone walked in then swiftly walked out again.

One word from Kihara and Yasushi would fire him. Kaoru knew it. He kept his eyes on the ground, following his soon-to-be-former colleague quietly down the corridor as he hoped that the Editor-in-chief would give him a pain-free exit. In fairness, Kaoru should never have done that to Hirota – not in a hundred, thousand, _gazillion_ years – but something in the atmosphere had provoked him to do it,_ made_ him want to rile the uptight Kihara.

Secretly, he risked a glance at the proofreader's face, where the ever-serious mouth stubbornly carried its silence, twitching at the corners as it mutely struggled with rage. What if he apologised? Would that make a difference? Before Kaoru could decide, Yasushi interrupted, head poking out from their office with a look of disappointment.

'That's not Hirota.'

'I know,' Kihara snapped; then dropped his voice, aware of the neighbouring cubicles. 'May I have a word?'

* * *

><p>'Hey! How's it going? Why don't you ever answer your phone?'<p>

'Hey, Tono. Everything's going great. I actually got the job.'

'Brilliant! Knew you could do it! But you don't sound very glad… is something the matter? Do you want to tell Father?'

Kaoru rolled his eyes at the reference; the Host Club was such a long time ago. 'No, nothing I want to say,' he responded, directing a smile at the store clerk who was handing over the newly bound manuscripts. He paid with the company credit card and kept the receipt, just as Yasushi instructed, though he felt very petty for doing so. 'Listen, I have to get back now. Speak to you later.'

He ended the call and left the stationers in a hurry. There was plenty of time still to reach the office, but he wanted to return as quickly as he could in order to prove that Kihara was wrong. _I'm not just some "rich kid",_ he thought, gripping the manuscripts to contain his inner fury. _I really _am_ here to work! _

On the streets, people walking towards him jumped aside, afraid of his temper, and enabled Kaoru to reach the Noro building in less time than it took to get out. Forcing a smile for the receptionist (who assumed he had quit since she saw him storming out), he rushed through the foyer and caught the nearest elevator to the editing department. In doing so, it brought to mind his first sighting of Kihara, which caused Kaoru to seethe at memories of their argument.

* * *

><p>'<em>Your business card,' demanded Kihara, with deathly calm.<em>

_'Here.' _

_The proofreader accepted Kaoru's business card in his outstretched hand, narrowing eyes at the neatly printed kanji. 'Hitachiin Kaoru,' he read, 'son of Hitachiin Yuzuha?' _

'_Oh, you know my mother?'_

_Kihara ignored the question. 'Did Yasushi hire you?' _

'_Yes.' _

'_And what do you know about publishing?' _

'_Enough to be here!'_

_Faintly, Kihara smirked. 'You're not going to last. People like you just never fit in.' _

* * *

><p>Glaring at the mirrors, Kaoru fiddled with his hair, smoothing the cinnamon strands that fell longer towards the front. No one spoke to him like that and ever got away with it. <em>No one.<em> He glanced at the manuscripts in his arms and let out a ragged sigh. _So much for keeping the third series a secret from Hirota…_

'Hita-kun!' Yasushi exclaimed, as soon as the elevator opened.

Kaoru jerked away from the sudden noise.

'Do you have all the manuscripts I asked for? Especially the one you have to read for me tonight?'

'Yes, sir, I do.'

'Smashing! Marvellous! But why the long face?'

'Not sure what you mean.' Kaoru made to move past the Editor-in-chief just as the older man stepped forward, forcing him to reverse. The doors shut behind them and the air eventually stilled, blocking out the atmosphere of the building and its occupants. Kaoru's fingers tightened on the manuscripts.

'I never had you down as the sensitive type,' said Yasushi, after a ponderous minute. He folded his arms and leaned in so close that their heads were almost touching. 'Do you really care what others think?'

Kaoru lowered his gaze. 'Of course I don't,' he answered, grasping the manuscripts tighter.

'As long as you do your job and do it well, I couldn't care less how rich you are. Understood?'

'Understood, sir.'

'Great stuff!' grinned Yasushi. Then clasped his new assistant firmly by the shoulder. 'But giving the game away to Hirota like that was a pretty huge mistake, don't you think? That series was meant to be a secret and I wanted to keep it that way. So, to make up for it, you should take Hirota home before I truly lose my temper. Agreed?'

Kaoru gulped. 'Agreed.'

'Good. Now give me Kihara's manuscript before he explodes and I'll send Hirota down in a minute.'

Kaoru watched the Editor-in-chief briskly disappear. Was Yasushi trying to save him or simply choosing the moment? Worried, he stepped into the corridor as he cursed himself for a fool and warily turned his head to the vending machine beside him. _We have to stop hanging out like this. It's really getting us nowhere._ He jumped at the cell-phone droning in his pocket – another missed call from Hikaru?

'Hika, did you call me?'

'Kaoru! Where the hell have you been?'

'Sorry, I'm at work. I actually got that publishing job.'

'Really? Then why didn't you call me? I've been trying to get hold of you for ages! I was scared that something had happened to you!'

'I'm sorry. There were errands. I was honestly going to call, but something kept coming up…'

'Like what? I'm your brother – your twin! You're supposed to give me a call and tell me how everything went. Even Tono got to know the details before I did!'

'He's just teasing you. I've barely told him anything.'

'Then tell me everything now!'

'I can't, I'm at work! I have to go now, Hikaru…'

'But Kaoru–'

'Catch up later, okay? I have to go now – promise!' Kaoru set his cell-phone to voicemail and flung a flustered smile in Hirota's direction.

'Lover's tiff?' remarked Hirota, sipping some tea from a white disposable cup; he was lingering a few metres away, pretending to be deaf.

Kaoru pressed the elevator button one too many times. 'Something like that…' he muttered.

'Yasushi booked us a taxi. It's waiting in the underground car park.'

'Thanks.' Kaoru noticed the items in Hirota's left hand: tinted covers containing three suits and a brown leather satchel bulging with documents. 'Need some help?'

'No, I can manage.'

Hirota finished his tea and placed his cup into a nearby recycling bin. Instead of the olive-green and lavender suit, he now wore navy, trimmed with pale silk along the cuffs and lapels. Although his eyes were still tearful and red around the edges, he carried the look with a mesmerising dignity – one that made others turn as he passed them.

* * *

><p>'I'm sorry about this,' Hirota apologised, once the taxi had dropped them off. 'Normally we'd take the lift and save ourselves the hassle, but it broke a few months back and I've given up complaining…'<p>

'It's fine,' Kaoru lied, 'I'm used to climbing stairs.' He touched his forehead with a handkerchief and retrieved the satchel he had offered to carry. 'What floor are we on again? Think I've lost count.'

'We're on the second.'

'And what floor do we need?'

'The sixth.'

Kaoru laughed. _Yasushi must hate me!_

'By the way, what Kihara said to you…'

'Don't worry, I deserved it.'

They resumed their climb, only to stop a few minutes later so Hirota could rest. Exhausted, he leaned against the wall and retrieved a slim inhaler from his pocket. 'Seriously,' Hirota groaned, shaking the inhaler, 'if it wasn't for this asthma, I would get so many things done.' He drew a breath and gazed down the stairs they had managed to conquer. 'I'm sorry you got into trouble over this. I'll be sure to put in a good word for you.'

Kaoru's face darkened. 'It's fine.'

'See you tomorrow, then,' smiled Hirota, 'and don't let the manuscripts bother you.'

* * *

><p>Kaoru stared at his reflection amongst the cans inside the vending machine and finally ordered a coffee. It was one of those with milk, lots of sugar and some Western flavouring such as caramel or hazelnut – the kind he grew to detest after drinking too much as a member of the Host Club. Why he chose to drink it now, however, had little to do with pleasing a girl and more to do with the fact he was just plain tired and desperately in need of a pick-me-up.<p>

'Hunky-dory, Hita-kun?'

If Kaoru had the energy, he would have jumped at the sound of Jun's voice, but he merely waved the coffee can as acknowledgement. 'Akiyama-san, how are you.'

'Please, call me Jun.'

'Hi, then, Jun.'

'You're looking kind of beat. Yasushi working you hard?'

'Just a little.'

'What you doing right now?'

'Drinking this disgusting coffee then learning the in-house editorial style.'

Jun gave Kaoru a sympathetic wink. 'If you need any help, just let me know. I don't mind helping at all.'

'I'll remember that.'

'Try your best now, Hita-kun!'

'Sure,' Kaoru sighed, and watched the short-haired youth stroll cheerfully away. _What a friendly person._ Wrapping the can with a handkerchief, he returned to the office where Yasushi was waiting and braced himself for yet another lecture.

'Storyboards,' Yasushi greeted him, and to demonstrate the concept further, held up an example struck with various circles and lines. 'This is a series we were editing over a month ago, and although it sold well, it took us a while to get it off the ground. Can you tell me the reason?'

Kaoru sat on a box of manga currently blocking his chair and read the first storyboard, then the second.

'Well?' said Yasushi.

'Don't you use touch-screen?'

'Hmm?'

'If you utilised touch-screen technology, you'd save a fortune on printing.'

'Believe me, if we had that kind of budget, I'm pretty sure we would… but your thoughts on the storyboard, please.'

Kaoru looked again at the circles and lines, blinking really hard. 'There are too many panels with scenery here and they fail to add to the dialogue… Also, uh…' He blinked harder, this time seeing double. 'Sorry, did I get that wrong?'

'No,' grinned Yasushi.

'So what other reasons are there?'

'You didn't notice?'

'Notice what?'

'You fell asleep mid-sentence then carried on talking.'

Kaoru paused, heat rising up the skin of his throat. 'I'm very sure I didn't.'

'You can split, if you want, and we'll start this tomorrow.'

'No, it's–'

'Hita-kun,' whispered Yasushi, gently removing the storyboards, 'it's your first day and it's almost eight o'clock. To be honest, I'm surprised you're still here. I've put you through _hell._ Go home and sleep.'

Laughter escaped Kaoru's lips, followed by a prickle of tears. Yasushi was right. He _was_ really tired. He _really _ought to go home. But the things Kihara had said to him kept running through his mind, as well as the embarrassment of making stupid mistakes. Only this morning he was rushing around, trying to sort his life, when he heard how his slimmest chance at a career in publishing had actually come true. It meant a lot to Kaoru – more than Yasushi could ever know – and now the man who had become his inadvertent saviour was telling Kaoru to go home, get some sleep, after stressing him out on purpose?

_It was just too much._

'Sorry,' Yasushi mumbled, 'guess I'm a bit of a bastard.' With tender hands, he eased apart the fingers that were shielding Kaoru's eyes and studied the tears, cheeks, and mouth that were struggling to accept his apology. 'Kaoru, I'm sorry. I wasn't being malicious.'

'I – I know, it's just–'

'Everything okay...?'

Kaoru turned his head whilst yanking his hands from Yasushi's: in the doorway stood Jun Akiyama, bag on shoulders, ready to leave the building.

'You're working late,' Yasushi observed, the first to recover. 'Did you call a cab?'

'What's with Hita-kun?'

Kaoru forced a smile. 'Paper cuts,' he answered, and before the Editor-in-chief or Jun could respond, quickly left the office, raking his hair.

* * *

><p><strong>Afterword:<strong> Any thoughts would be nice :)


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